Cinnabar is a reddish mineral which contains mercury; symbolically , it is linked with the color red.

It is the basic substance of Taoist alchemy, and a component ingredient in many an elixir which was supposed to confer - longevity but which all too often cut short the lives of those who put too much trust in such things.

In some quarters, it was even held that cinnabar conferred - immortality.

Cinnabar is a mineral that appears near volcanoes or hot springs.

It is rich in mercury and, when ground into a fine powder, produces a deep red tint.

It was believed at one point that the mercury's toxic effects could be neutralized with heat, but it appears that science has proven this theory incorrect.

However, Cinnabar lacquer was produced and carved for many years before the toxic effects of mercury were discovered.

The production of a cinnabar lacquer piece is a fascinating and time consuming process.

First, the base work was produced, whether it was a vase or a brooch.

Next, layer after layer of cinnabar lacquer was applied.

Often layers would alternate in color to achieve a multicolor effect in the design, and some pieces would feature more than 300 coats of lacquer.

Each layer would have to dry before a new one was applied, so some pieces could take almost half a year to prepare some larger pieces could take years.

Once the lacquer layers had reached the correct depth, the carving process could begin.

Carving a cinnabar lacquer piece was a very delicate process, and could take the artist many years to complete.
Care was needed, since a slip could require filling with many new layers of lacquer or could necessitate a complete re-do of the entire project.

Once the carving was finished, another layer of lacquer would be added to seal the carving.
Clear lacquer with no cinnabar was often used in this final step to keep the piece from spreading mercury to the skin. this was especially important for jewelry pieces.

I received the beautiful brass dragons,
bronze dragon incense burner and Kuan Yin.
They are absolutely beautiful. I paid almost
double for a smaller brass dragon from a
different company that looks almost childish
next to yours.

It is very obvious the quality of this artwork
is far superior and the energy in my house feels
like it has lifted. The small dragon you included
as a gift is much nicer than I expected,
thank you very much! I will enjoy these for many years, many thanks.

Most of our asian decor are hand crafted and finished by Chinese and Asian artists.Each item is unique, no two will be exactly alike. Therefore you will not find another item exactly like yours in somebody else's collection.
When you receive your item it will be slightly different than the item in the photograph in the catalog.

This is due to individual styles from one artist to the next, or differences in pigments used from one day to the next in the shop that made the item.

Our bronze items are made in the old way - the lost wax method - and they are all "antique looking" .
All our products are cleansed of negative energy and empowered with positive Sheng Ch'i.
Thank you for visiting !